22 The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone; 23 (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:) 24 When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.
The people who were seeking for the LORD Jesus were unaware of what had happened the night before; how that the disciples witnessed the miraculous power of Christ to still the storm. All they saw was the boat that the disciples had left behind, but unaware of the manner in which it got to shore.
Despite that miracle, they were a party to the feeding of the thousands, and they were seeking Jesus for more of the same, no doubt (JOHN 6:26). They were hungry obviously and were wanting another meal, courtesy of Jesus the Bread Multiplier!
People seek after Jesus for many reasons – they’re depressed and want a happy, fulfilling life or they are drifting aimlessly through their days and desire a purpose to anchor themselves to; they are suffering physical maladies and desire to be healed; they’ve lost all of their financial resources, facing bankruptcy and seeking salvation from such dire circumstances.
Certainly, the LORD is a Deliverer for those with such needs:
PSALM 18:2
The LORD is my rock and my fortress, my deliverer; my GOD, my strength, in Whom I will trust… my High Tower.
Yet notice what it says here: that the LORD is my rock, fortress, deliverer, strength; He is my GOD! He isn’t just Someone to bail me out of my troubles – there is ownership spoken of here: that the LORD is my LORD and my GOD. As “my LORD” I am under His authority as a born again disciple, believer, and child of GOD. This isn’t what the unsaved can claim then. This is particular to the saint who is a member of the body of Christ as a result of salvation in Christ, having received and obeyed the Gospel.
This is not at all to say that the LORD doesn’t use such crisis to shake people up, to bring them to an awareness of their own frailties, and as a result, are humbled by them and acknowledge their need for the LORD and the salvation that He offers – He does use such crisis.
But this is subordinate to the genuine crisis that we all encounter when we recognize the truth: that it isn’t healing of the cancer that should be the priority; it isn’t the bankruptcy we should be concerned about; it isn’t the quality of my life that needs our most desperate attention. No!
The truth of the matter concerns our spiritual state before GOD: this the genuine crisis and it’s because of this fallen state of sin – and the state of the world at large – that we face these struggles in life that will be absent in the glories of heaven. It’s a matter of sin, rebellion, the evil in our hearts (MATT 15:15-20) that is the genuine crisis, because sin leads to death in all of its horrible consequences: not just physical death, but also what the Bible refers to as “the second death”:
REVELATION 20:14
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
The incidence of cancer and other fatal diseases is sky-rocketing these days; we get many prayer requests for healing from these maladies, but the first question I ask of the petitioner is, “Do you know if they are saved?” If so, then we can focus on seeking GOD for healing or for the grace of GOD to endure this affliction and prepare them for their Home-coming, if that’s the LORD’s will.
If they are not saved, we still pray for their healing of course, but above that, we seek for the salvation of the soul. That way, whatever the outcome, their salvation is secured in Christ and no matter what, their destiny has been altered for eternity. They will know blessed fellowship with GOD as their heavenly Abba Father, the saving graces of the LORD Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit throughout their days and into eternity!
Without such salvation, whether they are healed or not, their destiny is the lake of fire, the second death: the total and complete absence of the presence of GOD, Who is the author of life, all manner of life both physical and spiritual. Such an absence for all eternity is what the haters of GOD long for: they don’t want GOD interfering with their lives in the here and now, so He will oblige them and allow them such an existence for eternity as well.
Yet it won’t be pleasant to say the very least: they are unaware of the truth that even in their rebellious state and opposition of the Almighty GOD, that He bestows prevenient grace (His favor upon them out of His nature of love, before the soul ever considers GOD and repentance towards sin; “For He causes the sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” MATTHEW 5:45.
None of these graces will be present in the most minimal iota in the lake of fire; the place absolutely bereft of life from GOD; it is in fact eternal death (“everlasting destruction” it says in 2 THESS 1:9; death not in the absence of consciousness, that is, eradication of the soul or annihilation, but rather death as in utter ruin and devastation; a complete degradation that will bring such souls to an absence of function and order). See the three part series, CHRIST’s COURT – SOON IN SESSION
The LORD Jesus gave His supreme and wise counsel to those who inquired as to where He had gone, “Teacher, when did You come here?” (JOHN 6:25b):
JOHN 6:27
Labor not for the food that will perish, but for that food which endures unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give to you: for Him has GOD the Father sealed.
Those that find satisfaction in feeding the poor, educating the ignorant, raising finances for the underprivileged, all in the name of the prevalent ‘social gospel’ in ‘the name of Jesus’ may find purpose and contentment because of their participation of such, but this ‘food’ will perish.
This can’t ‘feed’ the soul what it’s desperately in need of: that “food that endures to everlasting life”. This can only be found – not in some service for the cause of Christ (the Social Gospel refrains from the biblical Gospel that preaches sin, repentance and eternal salvation), but found in the Person of the Resurrected Christ Himself – He Who is “the Bread of Life” (JOHN 6:35).
When once the lost soul confesses and seeks for GOD in praying “Be merciful to me, a sinner Oh GOD” (LUKE 18:23) and offers their repentant heart to the LORD, humbly accepting the Gospel of Jesus Christ, they have begun the Blessed Banquet of the Bread of Life and receives the very Spirit of Christ into their hearts (JOHN 1:12-13; ROM 10:9-10; EPH 3:17; COL 1:26-27)!
It’s vital, especially in our evangelical efforts that people seek Jesus for all the right reasons: that He may receive the reward of His obedience to the Cross by another soul redeemed by His blood and glorified thereby; that the soul truly repents and believes the Gospel for the redemption of their immortal soul; and that they may themselves become a true disciple through which the LORD may reign and operate through for the furtherance of His Kingdom!
Next time, we will look at JOHN 6:25-27 – FOOD for LIFE!
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